Heel-breasting machine



Dec. 19, 1950 F. A. ElcH ETAL 2,534,343

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1949 l2 Sheets-Sheet l in van 01 8 Frank AZ'z'c/ Decd. l Eh'zabethAEz'ch Admx. 1 [Vapo lean A. Nanfi/S I By Hz ey G LL 7 Dec. 19, 1950 F. A. ElCH EI'AL 2,534,343

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1949 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvenioPs Dank/1.5102 Decd. Elizabeth. A.Eich Adm! Napo/eon Affonfils By Hz ey Dec. 19, 1950 F. A. EICH ET AL 3 HEEL BREASTING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1949 inventors Frank AEl'Ch Deca.

Elizabeth AEich Adm)! glapoleonAfionfils m- 1 12 Sheets-Sheet s Dec. 19, 1950 F. A. ElCH ET AL 2,534,343

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1949 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventors Fran/(14.5 z'ch Decd. .E'Kizabeih AEic/z Adm'x.

[Vapo/eon A. Nonfz'fs Dec. 19, 1950 F. A. EICH' ETAL HEEL BREASTING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 28, 1949 ]n 12821101 8 Frank AEz'ch Decd. Elizabeth AEic/z Admx.

Napoleon A/Ion fz'ls 1950 F. A. EICH ETAL 4,

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE Filed July '28, 1949 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 .lnven fans Dec. 19, 1950 F. A, EICH ETAL 2,534,343

mm. BREASTING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1949 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 lnvenfons' Hank A/Ez'c/z Dec'd.

Elizabeth A. Ezch Admx. Napoleon A./70nfl 'l8 Dec. 19, 1950 F. A. ElCH El'AL HEEL BREASTING momma 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed July 28, 1949 lnvemons Frank AEz'ch Beau. Elizabeth Al'ich Admx.

Dec. 19, 1950 In uenfom',

raLnK A E z'c h A E. h

Patented Dec. 19, 1950 unan-naass'rmo MACHINE Frank A. Eich, deceased, late of Melrose, Masa. by Elizabeth A. Eich, administratrix, Melrose, Mass., and Napoleon A. Monfils, Havel-hill, Masai, assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 28, 1949, Serial No. 107,154

21 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for breasting attached heels of shoes, it being an object of the invention to provide an improved machine of the general type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,385,482, granted September 25, 1945, on an application filed in the name of Erastus E. Winkley.

The present invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, selected for the purpose of illustration, the invention being fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

In the drawings,

Figs. 1 and 1A are views, partly broken away, of upper and lower portions, respectively, of one side of an illustrative heel breasting machine;

Figs. 2 and 2A are views corresponding to views 1 and 1A, respectively, showing upper and lower portions of the opposite side of the machine;

Fig. 2B is a view on the line 113-113 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1 showing details of a jack of the machine;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation, partly broken away, showing an abutment which is engaged by the thread ends of attached heels of shoes operated upon by the machine;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the abutment illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a bottom view, partly in phantom lines, of said abutment;

Fig. '1 is a front view, partly broken away, showing the abutment illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 and portions of a breasting knife and a carrier for the knife;

Fig. 8 is a section on line VIII-VIII of Fig. '7 showing details of the breasting knife and its carrier;

Fig. 9 is a front view, partly in section, of lower portions of the machine;

Fig. 10 is a view on line X--X of Fig. 2A;

Fig. 11 is a view partly in section on line XI-XI of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a side view, partly in section, of a friction clutch operatively connected to a treadle of the machine;

Figs. 13 and 14 are side and front views, respectively, illustrating shoe position testing mechanism of the machine when the machine is at rest;

Figs. 15 and 16 are side and front views corresponding to Figs. 13 and 14, respectively, showing the shoe position testing mechanism in operative position;

2 Fig. 16A is a view on line XVIA-XVIA of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is an illustrative view showing fluid pressure means of the machine for operating in sequence the Jack and the breasting knife;

Fig. 18 is a wiring diagram showing the various treadle controlled circuits for effecting actuation of the fluid pressure means;

Fig. 19 is a perspective view of a built-up leather heel prior to its attachment to a shoe; and

Fig. 20 shows in perspective the rear end of a shoe having an attached heel, after the heel has been breasted by the use of the illustrated machine.

The illustrative machine is described with reference to breasting a built leather heel 30 attached to a shoe 12 mounted upon a last 34 (Figs. 1 and 2) and comprises a work support or jack 36 upon which the shoe, arranged bottom up, is mounted, and an abutment 38 which is adjustably secured to a main frame ll) of the machine and against which the tread end of the heel of the shoe is forced upon upward movement of the Jack preparatory to lowering a knife 42 (Figs. 1, 2, 7, 8 and 1'7), vertically reciprocable in the main frame, to breast the heel.

The illustrative unbreasted heel 30 (Fig. 19) has (at the forward end of its attaching face 45) a scallop 44 which is formed by the use of a mold of the general type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 364,217, granted June 7, 1887, on an application filed in the name of Gilbert R. Coburn. When the unbreasted heel 30 is attached to the shoe 32 a slight recess or crease 48, shown exaggerated for purposes of illustration, is formed between an outsole of the shoe and the forward median portion of the attaching face 48 of the heel, said recess insuring that the shank portion of the outsole shall not be marked during the heel-attaching operation by pressure of the heel against it. The heel-breasting cut commonly extends through the rear end of the scallop 44 and accordingly there is little evidence of such scallop after the heel-breasting operation.

As will be explained later, the illustrative machine is provided with a testing gage or feeler 52 (Figs. 1, 2, 13, 14, 15 and, 16) having a thin tapered end or tip 54 which, preparatory to breasting the heel 30, is positioned in the recess 48. As stated in said Patent No. 2,385,482, in breasting the heel 30 it is desirable that the breasting stroke of the knife 42 shall cut to, but not substantially into, the outsole ill of the shoe 32, In the present machine, as in the machine disclosed in said Patent No. 2,385,002, the knife: 02, in making its breasting cut, passes the end or" tip 50 of the gage 52, which, through suitable.

mechanism hereinafter described, registers or tests the position of the work in the machine and insures that downward movement of the knife shall cease after said knife has completely out through the heel and before it has cut substantially into the outsole 60.

Aswillbe explainedlater, the jack 00 and the breastlng knife 02 are operated by fluid-pressure means rendered effective or active and ineffective or inactive by the operation of valves or plungers I0, 50 (Figs. 17 and 18) which are actuated by electric means comprising solenoids 00, 02, respectively, responsive to depression of a treadle 00, the construction and arrangement being such that initial downward movement of the treadle causes upward movement of the jack 06 to force the tread end of the unbreasted heel 00 of the shoe 02 mounted upon the jack against the initially adjusted abutment 00, further depression of the treadle causing the knife 02 to move downward to breast the heel.

The main frame 00 of the machine is bolted or otherwise secured to the floor and has vertical guideways 00 (Figs. 1A, 9 and 10) along which a ledge 00 of the jack 00 is slidable, said frame comprising an overhanging head upon which is mounted mechanism for moving and controlling the extent of movement of the breastlng knife 02. The jack 06 comprises a slide I0 which is movable forward and rearward in dovetail guideways I2 of the ledge 00. said slide having formed integral with it a boss having a cylindrical bore I0 for receiving a post 16 provided with a threaded portion upon which a nut I0 (Figs. 1A and 2A) is rotatable to adjust the height of the post, said nut resting upon the boss. The ledge 00 has a depending boss into which is threaded a screw 00, supported upon a header 02 of a hydraulically operated piston 00 (Figs. 9, 11 and 17) and having formed integral with it a collar 06 and a depending pin 00 (Fig. 11) which fits in a recess of the header. The collar 00 is provided with a plurality of holes 00 for receiving a manually actuated tool (not shown) for rotating the screw 00 in order to raise or lower the ledge 00 with relation to the piston and accordingly initially to move the jack 00 to the proper heightwise position to accommodate the particular style and/or size of shoe to be breasted.

swiveled for angular adjustment in a semicylindrical recess 02 (Figs. 1 and 2) of the post I0 is a platform 00, an arcuate toothed portion 00 (Figs. 2, 2A and 3) of which extends through a slot 00 (Fig. 3) in the post. A pinion I00 is mounted for rotation in a bore I02 of the post I0 and meshes with the arcuate toothed portion 00 which is centered about the axis of the semicylindrical recess 02. Secured to a projecting shank of the pinion I00 is a cap I00 and surrounding said shank and housed in a recess I00 of the post I6 is a spring I00 which constantly urges the pinion I00 to a locked position in which one of a plurality of holes H0 in an adjusting plate II2 (Figs. 1, 1A and 3) formed integral with the pinion receives a pin I I0 carried by the post. The platform 00 may be readily adjusted about the axis of the semi-cylindrical recess 02 by man- .ually gripping the adjusting plate II2 of the pinion I00 and sliding said pinion to the right, as

viewed in Fig. 0, against the action of the spring I00, the pinion then being rotated to the desired position angularly to adjust said platform. The

adjusting plate II2, and accordingly the pinion v III, is then released, and is moved by 'the action of the spring I00 to it's locked position in which the pin IIO occupies one of the holes H0. The platform 00 has a transversely disposed dovetail slot III (Figs. 1 and 2) in whichflts slidingly a tongue of a block 0 having a last pin I20 and also having a face I22 constructed and arranged to be engaged by the cone of the last 00 upon which the shoe is mounted.

Supported upon an upstanding lug of the slide I0 is a pin I20 (Figs. 1A and 2A) upon which is swiveled a column I20 having a bore I20 for receiving a threaded portion of a resilient toe rest I00, a nut I02 which rests upon said column being threaded onto the toe rest and being rotatable to vary the heightwise operating positionof the toe rest. The toe rest I00 may be swung into different adjusted positions about the axis of the pin I20 after withdrawing from one of a plurality of openings I00 in a depending angular extension of the column I20 a stud I06 slidingly fitting in an opening in the jack slide 10, said stud being inserted in another opening I00 in said extension of the column after the toe rest has been suitably adjusted.

The jack 00 can be moved manually along the longitudinal guideways 12 formed in the ledge 00', the shoe 02, which is mounted upon the last 00 and is to be presented to the machine, being placed upon the jack when the jack is in its forward, or loading and unloading position. After the operator has mounted the work upon the jack 06 and has moved the jack rearward along the longitudinal guideways I2, he depresses the treadle 60, causing, through mechanism which will be hereinafter described, the raising of the ledge 60 along the vertically disposed guideways 66, the jack being manually moved forward and rearward to slight extents as it is raised into a position in which the rear end of a preilnished toplight I00 of the heel 30 engages an initially positioned back gage I02 carried by the abutment 00 just before the tread end of the shoe is forced by upward movement of the jack against said abutment. The back gage I02 is initially adjusted forward or rearward in the machine for a particular size and style of shoe to be operated upon, the gage being so arranged that when the rear end of the toplift I00 of the heel 00 engages the gage, the shoe 32 is so positioned that when the breastlng knife 02 moves downward past a front, concave face I00 of an insert I00 of the abutment 00, it will pass along a breast I00 of the toplift I00 and continue to move downward at the proper angle, correctly to breast the heel.

heels, inserts I06 (Figs. 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7) having differently shaped front faces I00 may be quickly substituted for one another. Each of the inserts I00 has a dovetail portion constructed and arranged to fit in a complementary shaped recess I60 of the housing I00. A carrier plate I66 is movable into different forward and rearward adjusted positions along an elongated guideway I60 amass (Fig. 4) which is formed in the housing I48 and is continuous with the recess I84. The insert I48 is held in its operating position in the housing I48 by a spring-pressed retaining plunger I which extends through a bore I12 (Figs. 5 and 7) in the housing and enters a recess I14 of the insert. The carrier plate I88 upon which the back gage I42 is mounted is adjustable along the guideway I68 (Fig. 4) of the housing I48 of the abutment 88 and has an upstanding boss I18 extending through a slot I18 (Fig. 5) in the housing. Secured by screws I80 to the housing I48 is a bracket I82 in which is rotatably mounted a manually operated shaft I84 to the inner end of which is secured a skew gear I88 meshing with a skew gear I81 (Fig. 4) forming part of a screw I88 rotatable in the bracket and meshing with an internally threaded portion of the boss I18 of the carrier plate I88.

In a machine of the general type disclosed herein, it is common practice for the operator to aline the breast I48 of the preflnished toplift I40 of the unbreasted heel 80 with the front face I44 of the insert I48 which face forms a continuous face with the front face of the housing I48. In order to expedite the positioning of shoes in the machine, especially when such shoes are of the same size and style, there is provided the above-mentioned back gage I42, which comprises arms I82 the tips %which are constructed and arranged to bewngaged by the rear portion of the toplift I40 of the heel 80 as shown in Fig. 8 to position the heel lengthwise and widthwise with relation to the path of movement of a cutting edge I85 of the knife 42. As best illustrated in Fig. 7, the cutting edge I85 of the knife 42 is concave transversely to the same extent as the front face I44 of the insert I48 is concave transversely, said cutting edge also being slightly concave heightwise. The arms I92 of the gage I42 are mounted upon a pivot pin I88 secured to the carrier plate I58, and have pivotaliy mounted on their rear ends blocks I84 provided with threaded bores which mesh with right and left-hand threaded portions I88, I88 (Figs. 8 and '1) of a screw 200. The screw 200 has flanges 202 which straddle a depending flange 204 of the carrier plate I48 and a shank fitting in an elongated slot 208 (Fig. 4) in said flange, the screw being moved along the slot when the carrier plate I88 is adjusted in the housing I48. The back gage I42 may be quickly and effectively adjusted lengthwise to its proper operating position by rotating the shaft I84 and the arms I82 of said gage may be swung into their proper angularly adjusted positions upon the carrier plate I88 by rotating the screw 200.

The knife 42 is secured to a knife carrier 208, (Figs. 1, 2, 7 and 8), which is mounted for vertical movement between guide portions 2) of the main frame 40. by four screws 2I2 threaded into the carrier and having collars 2I4 clamped against lateral flanges 2I8 of the knife, portions of the knife and its carrier being normally covered by a plate 2I8 (Figs. 1, 2 and 8) secured to the guide portions of tthe main frame by screws 220. In order to insure that the knife 42 shall not be displaced from its adjusted position upon its carrier 208 during the heel-breasting operation, there is threaded into the carrier a stop screw 222 (Figs. 2 and 7) a head of which during the setting up operation is forced against a plate 224 in engagement with the upper end of the knife.

The knife carrier 208 is secured by bolts 225 (Figs. 1 and 2) to an oil housing 228 which is slidingly mounted on a bearing cylinder 288 fastened by screws 282 to the main frame 40 and is constantly urged upward by springs 284 the upper ends of which are attached to the main frame and the lower ends of which are attached to the housing. Upward movement of the housing 228 is limited by 'the engagement of a screw 288 adiustably secured to said housing with a face 288 of the main frame 40.

As will be explained later, oil is supplied to a chamber 240 (Figs. -2 and 17) formed between the housing 228 and the bearing cylinder 220 through a pipe 242 and a vertical passage 244 in the bearing cylinder to force said housing, and accordingly the breasting knife 42, downward against the action of the springs 284.

The piston 84 (Figs. 9, 11 and 1'1), which raises the Jack 88 to effect clamping of the unbreasted heel of the shoe against the abutment 88, is vertically slidable in a cylindrical chamber 248 of an on housing 248 secured by screws 250 (Figs.

2A and 9) to the main frame 40. Attached to the header 82, which is formed integral with the piston 84, are springs 252 the lower ends of which are attached to the oil housing 248, said springs serving to move the piston 84 to its lowered or retracted position against the bottom of the chamber 248. Oil is supplied to the chamber 248 by a pipe 254 connected to a source of fluid pressure, as will be explained later.

Secured to the main frame 40 is a table 258 (Figs. 1A and 2A) upon which are mounted vari-. ous oil pressure supplying and controlling units hereinafter described. Oil is supplied under pressure by a rotary pump 258 (Figs. 2A and 1'!) which is operated by an electric motor 280 and receives oil from a pipe 282 the lower end of which is immersed in oil in a container or sump 284. when the machine is idle, high pressure oil from the pump 258 passes through a sump pipe 288 between portions of which is included a spring-controlled pressure valve 288. Connected to the pipe 288 is a pipe 210 which supplies oil to branches 212, 214 extending into the Jack and knife-operating valve or plunger housings 218, 218, respectively, the branch 212 having formed in it a spring-pressed check valve 280. The valve or plunger housing 218 has formed in it inlet and outlet ports 282, 284, connected to the branch 212 and to the oil pipe 254, respectively. Arranged in the oil pipe 254 is a control valve 288 (Figs. 2 and 17) comprising a springpressed plunger 218- (Fig. 17) having a noncylin drical head which is slidable in a cylindrical recess 28I and is normally forced against a face 2880f the valve by a spring 285. High-pressure oil entering the cylindrical recess 28I through the pipe 254 passes around the head of the plunger 218 into an annular recess 281, through a passage 288 and into an outer portion of the pipe 254. Arranged in the passage 288 is screw 280 which may be adjusted to restrict the flow of oil in the passage 288 thereby insuring that the jack shall not rise too fast, and thus allowing the operator sufficient time in which to position the work in the machine. After the heel breasting operation, 011 from the chamber 248 in addition to moving back through the passage 288, passes into a passage 288 in the control valve 288, thus displacing the plunger 218 against the action of the spring 285, and into the 7 drical chamber 236 thereof the plunger 33 which has cylindrical heads 333, 332, said heads, when the plunger is in its idle position shown in Fig. 17, being arranged to cut oil the branch 212 from the pipe .254, oil which flows into the chamber 236 being allowed to drain into the sump 234 through the pipe 232. When the plunger 56 is in its dash-line operating. position shown in Fig.

11, after the solenoid' 63 has been energized,

the branch pipe 212 flows through the. pipe 254 into the cylindrical chamber 246 of the oil housing 243, causing upward movement of the piston 34, and accordingly elevation of the jack 36, to

the knife. 42. During continued elevation of thejack 36 the toplift I43 of the unbreasted heel 33 of the shoe 32 is forced with heavy pressure against the insert I43 of the abutment 33. If the shoe 32 is not positioned in the machine to the satisfaction of the operator, he may at this stage of I the operation remove his foot from the treadle 64, high-pressure oil entering the valve 236 through 10 force the tread end of the heel 33 with clamping pressure against the abutment 36.

The valve housing 213 has a port 334 into which is threaded the pipe 242 connected to the passage 244 in the bearing cylinder 233. As will be hereinafter explained, after the work has been properly clamped in place in the machine and upon continued depression of the treadle 64, the solenoid 62 is energized, with the result that the plunger 53, which is slidable in a cylindrical chamber 336 of the housing 213, is moved to its dash line position shown in Fig. 1,7. The plunger 53 has three cylindrical heads 333, 333A, and 3333 constructed and arranged slidingly to fit in the cylindrical chamber 336, said plunger when in its full-line idle position illustrated in Fig. 17 allowing high-pressure oil to enter the chamber 336 between the heads 333A and 3333, 011 being pocketed in said chamber and equal pressure being exerted in opposite directions ergized and the plunger 53 has been moved to its dash-line position shown in Fig. 17, oil enters the chamber 336 through the pipe 214, between the heads 333 and 333A and flows through the causing the microswitch 322 to be,opened and the plunger 53 in the housing 216 to be moved back to its full-line position shown in Fig. 17, oil in the pipe 254 being spilled and the jack 36 being depressed by the action of the springs 252. The treadle 64 is .lien again depressed, the work being properly positioned before it is clamped in the machine.

Spaced from and below the microswltch 322 is a lever 333 (Figs. 1A, 9 and 18) which is normally held by a spring 332 (Fig. 18) in a raised position causing a control bar 334 of a two-way switch 336' to beheld across terminals 333 of a split circuit 343, 343A, including a relay 342 having a coil 344, a pair of terminals 346 and a contact bar 348. Also included in the circuit 343, 343A is a knife limit microswitch 353 which is normally held closed by a spring 352 and may be referred v of a circuit 353. against said heads. When the solenoid 62 is enpipe 242 and the passage 244 into the .chamber 40 243 of the housing 223, causing depression of the housing 223 upon the bearing cylinder 233 to operate the breasting knife 42.

The mechanism for energizing the solenoids 63, 62, which control the valves or plungers 55, 53, respectively, will now be described. The foot treadle 64 is pivoted upon a rod 3I3 (Figs. 1A and 2A) supported by the main frame 43 and is constantly urged upwardly by a spring 3l2. Operatively connected to the treadle 64, through a link 3, (Figs. 1A, 2A and 9) is a vertical rod 3i6,guided in a bore 3I3 of a boss of the main frame. The rod 3I6 has secured to it an arm 323 (Figs. 1A, 9, 12 and i8) which,.when the After clamping the work in the machine the operator further depresses the treadle 64, causing a screw 323A forming part of the arm 323 to be lowered against the action of the spring 332 and the lever 333 to be depressed, with the result that the bar 334 leaves the terminals 333 of the circuit 343 and connects terminals 363 of the twoway switch 336. Such action results in energizing a coil 362 of a relay 364 and causes the contact bar 366 of said relay to bridge terminals 363, thereby energizing the solenoid 62 which is connected to the plunger 53, thus causing said plunger to be moved to its dash-line position (Fig. 17) When the plunger 53 is thus positioned, highpressure oil is admitted to the chamber 243 to 0 cause the housing 223 and accordingly the which establishes the circuit 326 and accordingly g5 energizes the solenoid 63 thereby moving the plunger 56 to its open dash-line position (Fig. 17) to admit high-pressure oil to the chamber 246 for actuating the jack-actuating piston 34.

As above stated, the operator slides the jack 36 73 breasting knife 42 to be lowered in a fixed path. When the solenoid 62 is deenergized the plunger 53 is moved to and is held in its full-line position shown in Fig. 1'1 by a spring 363.

When the breasting knife 42 has been moved downward a predetermined distance determined by the setting of the gage or testing member 52,

a disk 313 (Figs. 1, 2 and 18), which is movable with the housing 223, engages a contact bar 312 of the microswitch 353, moving it away from terminals 314 and thus deenergizing the relay 342, with the result that the contact bars 343, 354 move under the action of a spring 316 to dash-line positions (Fig. 18) against a stop 313, opening the terminals 346, 356. Such action causes the plunger-operating solenoid 62 to be deenergized, with the result that the plunger 53 moves back to its full-line position illustrated in Fig. 1'7, and oil is spilled from the pipe 242into the sump 264, downward movement of the knife ceasing. As soon as the plunger 53 has been moved to its oil-dumping position, the springs 234 operate to raise the housing 223, together with the carrier 233 and the knife 42, to startinto engagement with the back gage I42, thus 75 in: positions. It will be noted that when the assesses circuit 888 is broken it cannot be reestablished until the lever 888 is moved upward through a recognizable distance sufficient to permit the bar 884 to move under the action of the spring 882 into contact with the terminals 888. It will thus be apparent that when the disk 818 leaves the microswitch 888, which is normally closed by the spring 882, the circuit 848, 840A will not be reestablished until the bar 884 bridges the terminals 888, thereby making it necessary for the operator to permit a substantial raising of the treadle 84 under the action of the spring III and thereafter to depress the treadle suiilcient to move the bar 884 back into contact with the terminals 888 before hydraulic pressure may again be rendered effective to drive the heel-breasting knife 42 downward.

The disk 818 has ashank which is threaded into a bracket 888, secured by screws 882 (Figs. 1 and 2) to the housing 228, and is secured in adiusted position to the bracket by a wing nut 884. The microswitch 888 is mounted on top of a slide 888 movable in a vertical guideway 888 (Figs. 1 and 2B) of a bracket 888 secured to and forming part of the main frame 40, said slide having a rack 882 in driving relation with a gear 894 rotatably mounted in the bracket. Also mounted for vertical reciprocation in a vertical guideway 888 (Fig. 2B). of the bracket 898 is a rack 888 in driving relation with the gear 884.

Secured by nuts 488 (Figs. 13, 14, l5, l6 and 18A) in a bore 488 of a head 482 of the bracket 888' is a guide block 488 in which is formed a forward and rearward projecting passage 488. Slidingly supported in the passage 488 is a horizontal shaft 488 to the forward end of which is pinned a holder Ill having a transverse bore 2 for receiving the gage 82 which may be set in different adjusted positions in the bore of the holder by a screw 4".

The lower end of the rack 898 is operatively connected by an adjustable rod 8 to an arm Ill screwed to the shaft 488, and screwed to said shaft in front of said arm is an arm 420, the outer end of which is bifurcated for receiving the upper end of an actuator bar 422. The actuator bar 422 has formed in its upper portion a slot 424 through which passes a stud 428 which is carried by the arm I28 and has attached to it a spring 428, the upper end of said spring being attached to the upper end of the bar 422. The shaft 488 is constantlv forced forward in the bore 480 of the head 482 by a coil spring 488 which surrounds the shaft and has it front and rear ends in en agement with the holder Ill! and the guide block 488, forward movement of the shaft being limited by the engagement of the boss of the arm 428 witha collar 428 (Figs. 13, 15 and 16A) which is adJustably secured by a screw 48! to the guide block 488.

It will be apparent that upward movement of the actuator bar 422 will eilect, through the spring 428. counterclockwise movement. as viewed from the front of the machine (Figs. 14 and 16), of the shaft 488, and'accordingly movement of the end or tip 84 of the sickle-shaped gage 82 against the shank of the outsole 88 of the shoe 82, the arrangement being such that the tip of the gage engages said shank Just forward of the unbreasted heel 88 clamped in the machine.

In order that the tip 84 of the gage 82 shall be be moved into the recess or crease 48 formed between the outsole 88 and the scallop 44 of the at taching face 48 of the heel 88, it is desirable to move the gage rearward along the shank of the outsole 88 of the shoe after it has been moved into forced en agement with said shank. sash movement of the gage 82 is effected as a result of sliding the shaft 488 rearward in the bore 488 of the guide block 488 against the action of the spring 488 by forcing a cam 484 secured to the llnk' 422 upward against the guide block as shown in i 18.

The actuator bar 422 is universally connected to the rear end of a lever 488 (Figs. 1, 1A and 2A) pivoted on a bearing screw 488 threaded into the main frame 48. The forward end of the lever 488 has pivoted to it a vertical rod 448 (Figs. 1, 1A, 9 and 12) which extends into a vertical bore 442 (Fig. 12) of a sleeve 444 forming part of a block 448 attached'by a screw 448 to the rod 8" to which the arm 828 is secured, the rod 448 bein held in frictional binding relation with the block 448 by a spring-pressedslide 448. The block 448. together with the elements carried by it, serves as a friction clutch 441 for coupling the rods 8", 440 for downward movement together so long as the rod 448 can be moved, as will be explained later. It will be apparent from the foregoing that as the actuator bar 422 is raised upon depression of the treadle 84, the tip 84 of the gage 82 is yieldingly forced against the shank of the outsole 88 of the shoe, continued upward movement of the bar causing the gage to be forced against said shank with increased force, and the cam 484 to be forced against the block 488, with theresult that the shaft 488, together with the gage 82, is moved rearward, the tip 84 of the gage entering the recess or crease 48 in the shoe. In order to stop upward movement of the bar 422 to limit rearward pressure of the gage 82 against the work, there is adjustably mounted upon the main frame a screw 488 (Fig. 1A) constructed and arranged to be engaged by the lever .488. Since the arm 8; which is secured to the shaft 488, is angularly displaced in timed relation with the slide 888 (Figs. 1, 2 and 2B) which carries the microswitch 888, it will be apparent that the position of the microswitch is dependent upon the position of the tip 84 of the gage 82. As above explained, the heel-breasting knife 42 cuts to a point just rearward of the tip 84 of the gage 82 and accordingly the gage effectively registers the exact height of the portion of the work to be cut so that the downward stopping point of the knife can be measured with precision.

As the treadle 84 is depressed, the arm 828 (Figs. 1A, 9, 12 and 18) moves downward away from the microswitch 822, causing, through mechanism above described, the hydraulically operated jack 88 which has been moved to its proper position beneath the abutment 38, to force the tread end of the heel-against said abutment. Depression of the treadle 84 also effects, through mechanism comprising the friction clutch 441, the lowering of the rod 44!), causing the bar 442 to be raised and the tip 84 of the gage 82 to be forced against the shank of the outsole 88 of the shoe 82. As the bar 442 continues to move downward upon continued depression of the treadle 84, the cam 484 forces the shaft 408, and accordingly the gage 82, rearward, the tip 84 of the gage entering the recess 48 of the shoe and downward movement of the bar ceasing. At this time the lever 488 will have rotated counterclockwise into substantial engagement with the stop' screw 488 (Fig. 1A) which is initially adjusted by the operator.

when the work has been positioned and clamped in the machine, as well as measured as above described, the operator further depresses the treadle 64, causing the lever 33! to operate the two-way switch as with the result that hydraulic pressure is supplied to the chamber I" to move the housing 228 and accordingly the breasting knife 42 downward to its lowered position determined by the engagement of the disk 310 with the microswitch I".

The operator then removes his foot from the treadle '84 with the result that the various operaiT? elements of the machine return to their idle positions, the jack 36 thereafter being slid manually forward preparatory to removing the shoe, the heel of which has been breasted, from the machine. I

It will be understood that in operating on types of shoes not having the creases 48 formed between the shanks of the outsoles 50 of the shoes 32 and the forward ends of the attaching faces of the heels 30, the tip 54 of the gage is moved rearward along the shanks of the outsoles until said tip engages the upper ends of the breasts of the heels.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a heel breasting machine, a movable support for a shoe which has an unbreasted heel, an abutment constructed and arranged to be engaged by the tread end of the heel, hydraulically powered mechanism, electrically actuated valve controlled mechanism for rendering effective or ineffective the hydraulically powered mechanism, a breasting knife movable past said abutment, and means comprising a treadle movable from a predetermined position to render portions of the valve controlled mechanism operative thereby causing the hydraulically powered mechanism to actuate the support and thus to force the tread end of the unbreasted heel of the shoe mounted upon the support against the abutment, said means being movable to a second predetermined position to operate said electrically actuated valve controlled mechanism and accordingly other portions of said hydraulically powered mechanism to cause the breasting knife to be moved past said abutment tobreast the heel.

2. In a heel breasting machine, a support for a shoe which is mounted upon a last and has a unbreasted heel, means comprising an abutment for positioning the shoe in the machine, a breasting knife movable past the abutment and heightwise of the heel of the positioned shoe to breast said heel, fluid pressure means for operating the shoe support and the knife, and manually operated mechanism for controlling the fluid pressure means, said mechanism being constructed and arranged first to actuate, through said fluid pressure means, the support to cause the tread end of the heel of the shoe to be forced against said abutment and thereafter to cause the knife the move heightwise of the heel to breast said heel.

3. In a heel breasting machine, a support for a shoe which is mounted upon a, last and to which an unbreasted heel is attached, an abutment constructed and arranged to be engaged by the tread end of the heel of the shoe upon the support, a breasting knife movable heightwise of the heel past the abutment to breast said heel, fluid pressure means for operating the support and the knife, a valve for controlling portions of the fluid pressure means to effect operation of the support, a second valve for controlling other portions of the fluid pressure means to efl'ect operation of the knife, solenoids for operating the valves, and manually actuatedmechanism for operating in sequence the solenoids to eflect successive operation of the first and second-named valves and accordingly movement of the support to clamp the shoe in the machine and thereafter to move the knife past the abutment and heightwise of the heel to breast said heel.

4. In av heel breasting machine, a movable support for a shoe which has an attached unbreasted heel, an abutment constructed and arranged to be engaged by the tread end of the heel of the shoe upon the support, hydraulically powered mechanism, a gage associated with the abutment for positioning the shoe upon the support widthwise and lengthwise with'relation to the abutment, electrically actuated valve control mechanism for rendering effective and ineffective the hydraulically powered mechanism, a knife, and manually operated means movable from a predetermined position to render portions of the valve control means operative to cause the hydraulically operated mechanism to actuate the support to force the tread end of the unbreasted heel of the shoe upon the support against said abutment, said manually operated means being. movable to a second predetermined position to cause the knife, throughsaid electrically actuated valve control mechanism and hydraulically powered mechanism, to move past said abutment and heightwise of said heel to breast the heel.

accordance with the position of said testing along said path.

6. In a heel breasting machine, means for clamping in a fixed position a shoe which is mounted upon a last and has attached to it an unbreasted heel, a testing member, treadle operated means for moving said member first generally heightwise of the positioned shoe with yielding pressure into engagement with the shank portion of an outsole of said shoe and then generally lengthwise of said outsole with yielding pressure against the heel of the shoe, a breasting knife, means for moving said knife to breast said heel, a member movable in response to movement of the testing member, and means responsive to engagement by said member for limiting movement of the knife.

7. In a heel breasting machine, means for clamping in a predetermined position a shoe comprising an outsole and an unbreasted heel, fluid pressure means for actuating said clamping means, a gage constructed and arranged to be moved into and out of a crease formed between the heel and the shank portion of the outsole of the shoe, a heel breasting knife, fluid pressure means for operating said. knife to breast said heel, means for actuating said gage and said first and second-named fluid pressure means, and means operatively connected to said last-named fluid-pressure means and to said gage for varying the breasting stroke of the knife in accordance with the position of said gage.

13 8. In a heel breasting machine. means for clamping a shoe having an attached outsole and an attached unbreasted heel, a knife mounted for translatory movement in a path for breasting the heel of the shoe, a gage for testing the position of the forward end of the attaching face of the heel, manually actuated electrically controlled fluid-pressure means operatively connected to the knife, and a member which is set in different operative positions in accordance with the position of the gage and which is constructed and arranged to be engaged by said last-named means to limit movement of the knife in said path.

9. In a heel breasting machine, means for positioning and clamping a shoe having an attached outsole and an attached unbreasted heel.

a knife mounted for translatory movement in a into engagement with the shank portion of the cause the heel of the shoe thus positioned to be forced with heavy pressure against the abutment, a testing member constructed and arranged to engage the shank portion of the outsole oi the shoe, said testing member being movable in response to movement of the treadle, a breasting knife movable in a predetermined path past said abutment to breast the heel-thus clamped, fluid pressure means for operating said knife in said path, electrically controlled means responsive to movement of the treadle for rendering the knife operatin fluid pressure means effective to cause render said knife operating fluid pressure means breasting knife in said path.

outsole of the shoe and then lengthwise along i said outsole into engagement with the heel of the shoe, and elements operatively connected to the testing member and to the fluid pressure means respectively, one of said elements constituting a switch which is actuated upon engagement of said elements to cause movement of the knife in said path to be limited.

10. In a heel breasting machine, an abutment,

a support for a shoe having an unbreasted heel,

said support being manually movable lengthwise and widthwise of the shoe on the support to en- 1 able the operator to position the shoe in a predetermined position with its heel .beneath said abutment, fluid pressure means for forcing theheelof the positioned shoe with substantial pressure against the abutment, a treadle, electrically controlled means responsive to movement of the treadle for rendering active said fluid pressure means to cause the heel of the shoe to be forced with ing manually movable lengthwise and widthwise of the shoe to enable the operator to position the heel of the shoe on the support in a predetermined position beneath the abutment, fluid pressure means, a treadle, electrically controlled means responsive to movement of the treadle for rendering active said fluid pressure means to cause the heel of the shoe thus positioned to be forced with heavy pressure against the abutment, a breasting knife movable in a predetermined path past the abutment, fluid pressure means foroperating said knife in said path, and electrically controlled means responsive to movement of the treadle for rendering the knife operating fluid pressure means effective to cause the knife to breast the heel.

12. In a heel breasting machine, an abutment, a support for a shoe which has attached-to it an outsole and an unbreasted heel, said support bein manually movable lengthwise and widthwise of the shoe to enable the operator to position the heel of the shoe on the support in a predetermined position beneath the abutment, fluid pressure means, a treadle, electrically controlled means responsive to movement of the treadle for rendering operative said fluid pressure means to ineffective thereby limiting movement of the 13. In a heel breasting machine, means for posioning and clamping ashoe, a gage which is movable in two directions disposed at approxi-- mately right angles to each other and is constructed-and-arranged to occupy a crease formed between an outsole of the shoe and the forward end of the attaching face of an unbreasted heel of said shoe, a breasting knife mounted for translatory movement in a path, means for operating said knife alongsaid path, a treadle operatively connected to and constructed. and arranged to actuate in succession the positioning and clamping means to secure the shoe in the proper position to be operated upon, the gage in said two different directions to cause the gage to occupy said crease and the knife operating means 'to ,trim material from the breast of the heeL'and means comprising a member movable into different positions in accordance with the position of the gage for limiting movement of the breasting knife in said'path.

14. In a heel breasting machine, means for positioning and clamping a shoe, a gage constructed and arranged to occupy a crease formed between an outsole of the shoe and the forward end of the attaching face of an unbreasted heel of said shoe, treadle operated means for moving the gage first into engagement with the shank portion of the outsole of the shoe and thereafter rearwardly along said outsole and into the crease, a breasting knife mounted for translatory movement in a path, means for operating said knife to breast the heel positioned and clamped in the machine, and means operatively connected to the gage for limiting travel of the knife in said path in accordance with the position of said gage.

15. In a heel breastin machine, means for pcsitioning and clamping a' shoe, a position testing member constructed and arranged to occupy a crease formed between an outsole of the shoe and the forward end of the attaching face of an unbreasted heel of the shoe, means for yieldingly forcing the gage against the shank portion of the outsole and'thereafter yieldin ly moving the gage along the outsole and into said crease, a knife mounted for translatory movement in a path to breast the heel, and means comprising an abutment movable into different positions in accordance with the positions of the gage for limiting movement of the breasting knife along said path.

' 16. In a heel breasting machine, an abutment, a support for a shoe. fluid pressure means for actuating said support to force an attached unbreasted heel of the shoe mounted upon the supassess:

port against said abutment, said fluid pressure means comprising a control valve for restricting flow of fluid in order slowly to move the support to enable an operator to position the shoe length- I wise and widthwise as the shoe and the support are moved toward the abutment. a knife mount-- ed for translatory movement in a path to breast the heel of the shoe, fluid pressure means for operating the knife, and means comprising a treadle for operating in succession the first and second named fluid pressure means.

17. In a heel breasting machine, means for positioning and clamping ashoe, a testing member constructed and arranged to engage in a crease formed between an attached heel and an outsole of the shoe, and mechanism comprising a treadle operatively connected to the testing member, said mechanism being constructed and arranged in response to movement of the treadle yieldingly to move the testin member heightwise of the shoe into engagement with the outsole of the shoe and then along said outsole yieldingly into the crease.

18. .In a heel breasting machine, means for positioning and clamping a shoe, a testing member constructed and arranged to engage in a crease formed between an attached heel and an outsole of the shoe. and mechanism comprising a treadle and a shaft operatively connected to the testing member, said mechanism being constructed and arranged, in response to movementproximately in the path of reciprocation of the knife, and means operatively associated'with the gage for rendering said fluid pressure means inactive for limiting breasting movement oi the knife when the cutting edge of the knife arrives at the tip ofxsaid gage.

20. In a heel breasting machine,- means for positioning and clamping a shoe, a heel breasting knife, a gage for testing-the position of the shoe, saidv gage being mounted for movement heightwise and then lengthwise of the shoe, and means operatively connected to the gage for varying the breasting stroke of the knife in accordance with the setting of said gage.

21. In a heel breasting machine, a support for a shoe, means for operating the support, a heel breasting knife mounted for reciprocation, electrically controlled fluid pressure for operating the knife. a position testing gage having a tip constructed and arranged to be positioned approximately in the path of reciprocation of the knife, and electrically controlled means operatively associated REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,289,652 Casgrain Dec. 31, 1918 2,002,512 Seely et al. May 28, 1935 Winkley Sept. 25, 1945 electrically controlled fluid pressure 

